The Maximum Shift
by witty kitty01
Summary: Slightly AU, The true eleven end up getting auctioned of to a organisation intrested in enhancing human ability for a new, super race. guess who?


Starting points in universes-

Maximum ride- whole flock in School at beginning, round chapter 51.

Shapeshifter- the auction. AU, Dax and Spook never broke out. Basically, just think of the neetanite as another plot device ready to explode. Dax hasn't had urgings to go to mountains anywhere.

.:Start:.

The waves were choppy round the boat now, and the boat was beginning to visibly rock. The lowly ship hands only thought was the welfare of the ship; they didn't stop to wonder about the cargo it was carrying.

For the ship's captain, the main thought was how he would conceal the fact that something was very, very wrong.

For David Eades, it was how higher price he could raise the bidders.

For Anne Walker, it was to get the rumoured children that could turn invisible, that could move objects with their mind, and one who could shape shift.

For the dirty, trembling colas in the belly of the ship, it was breaking out.

Funnily enough, thousands of miles away, that was the same objective of the flock.

.:BREAK:.

"_There was a shocked silence for a few seconds and then Jenifer began crying again and there were murmurs and groans. The perfume of panic pulsed around Dax and he knew that he was adding to it."_

_(The Shapeshifter: Stirring the Storm, chapter 19, Page 236, paragraph one.)_

"W-w-what can we-" Barry stopped short as the sound of an almighty mechanism pierced through the container. It was followed by a lurch, knocking all of the true eleven to Dax's side of the container, squashing them in a mass of limbs.

"We're getting lifted onto the ship!" Gideon yelled over the whirring and clanking.

"Well done, Sherlock!" Spook yelled back. Gideon attempted to reach over to scowl at him, but instead found a very pale Mia. There was another lurch, and they were sent to the other side of the container. By now, the lights were flickering only adding to the pandemonium.

"I'd brace yourself, I think we're about to be dropped!" Dax shouted from on top of Clive. Sure enough, the colas felt their adrenaline rushes peak as gravity was removed for a few seconds. Upon impact all light vanished leaving them in pain, panic and dark. From the groans Dax managed to ask "Everyone okay?"

"Yeah, just about…" The teller brothers said simultaneously.

"Uh huh." Spook muttered, "No thanks to you, of course." Everyone answered, accept for Darren, who Mia rushed over to (stepping on several people as she went) and healed him enough so that he could talk and sit up.

"What the HELL do we do now?" Lisa asked, her voice on the edge of hysterics.

"Get light." Dax said firmly. There was a slight murmur of disgust at Dax, but what he had said was logical.

"How can we do that?" Gideon said flatly, his voice neither scornful or companionable.

Dax swallowed, answer uttered a single word. "Mia."

There was a beat and then Alex said "What about her?"

Mia sighed. "Dax, I can't control it. You know I can't." She said hesitantly.

"Yeah but, if you're stressed enough…" Gideon said.

"Or mad." Lisa suggested.

"Yeah! Think about what Dax did. think about Owen. Think about it…" Gideon said enthusiastically. Dax was now thankful for the darkness to mask the hurt look on his face. He shuffled his feat uncomfortably as a flame ignited In Mia's hands. It was bizarre- A small teenage girl, holding a handful flames, surrounded by a dozen or so teenagers, also filthy and sombre.

"Well, that's something…" Dax sighed.

"Yes! Yes, It is something! How the heck-" Spook broke of, shaking his head. "Has anyone else been keeping a secret they wanna share?"

"look, we can do that later, but right now we need to try and figure out how to escape." Lisa said

"No. we should get the chips out." Gideon countered. He turned to his best friend who paled slightly as he realised what Gideon ment him to do.

"G-Gid… I dunno-"

"Dammnit, Jones! Just suck it up and do it!" Spook snarled.

"ALL-RIGHT, Spook! Calm down, can't you see he's sorry? Back off and calm down." Gideon growled back. He turned to Dax "LLok, if you can't…" He muttered

"No- I will. Just let me listen first." And with that, he shifted and pricked up his fox ears

.:BREAK:.

"Final biddings of the night sir: The Central Culture Alignment Group one pint two billion…"

David Eades swung leisurely back in his chair, listening to the amazing figures being offered. A soft smile tugged at his lips, but he knew that if he gave into it he would end up with a ear splitting beam. He spun round to a drink's cabinet (he had situated several in the room) and poured himself a whiskey.

He cradled the amber liquid in one hand, swirling round watching it crash round much like the sea outside was. He knocked back the glass, and interrupted the young Frenchman who was rattling of the list.

"I don't really need to know this, John. Just get the highest figure." John chewed his lip.

"But, sir… that would be Itex."

At that, Eades paused. He had heard about Itex- he knew that they would probably place bids, but he had rather hoped that he would send the colas elsewhere. Sending any one cola to Itex could come back to him in the worst possible way.

"How much did they offer?" at the sound of the figure, Eades rose his eyebrows. "I can only presume that was for all of them?

"yes. It's even more than all of the other bids combined. So… are we selling?"

"Yes, of course. I suppose all that's left is to put them into the individual containers."

.:BREAK:.

"I…I could faintly hear some stuff. Auction… price…. And 'all that's left'."

"Auction?" Barry whispered.

I don't think we've got a lot of time, let's do this quick time." and with that he rushed at Barry's neck, not waiting for a perch. Jenifer had begun to cry and Mia was putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. As Dax moved from Barry to allow Mia to heal it, he stayed in his shift his avian brain racing. They needed to escape. They needed to get in contact with Owen. They needed to get off this damn boat. They needed-

CLICK

They spun round to face the door. He quietly moved behind Barry and pressed the chip into his trembling fist. They had agreed it was better to continue as though they had no powers and keep the element of surprise.

"One by one, in the order I call!" the voice floated out. Gideon nibbled his lip and looked at Dax, who nodded at him- play by their rules for now.

"Healer!" Mia's face was not her pyrotechnic one- it was trembling, tear stained and dirty. She stumbled to the crack, all the cola's giving her a small apt on the shoulder or a hug. It was breaking everyone's hearts knowing that it could be the last time they saw her… or any one of each other.

There was a ten minute gap before they called out "Medium!" and Lisa strode proudly out- that was, until she his her head on a overhanging metal pole, which gave everyone a last cheer.

Next to go were Darren*, Alex, Spook, and every other member of the true eleven till only Dax and Clive were left.

"Sahpeshifter!" Dax drew a breath that clouded before him as he let it out in the cold air of the shipper container.

"So… goodbye, I suppose." Dax muttered, opting for a cool guy hand. Clive's eyes were round through his broken glasses.

"Yeah. Good luck." Clive grunted, looking at his shoes. Dax gave him a pat on the sholdour and Shakily, he strode to the door and passed through into the light. There were several armed soldier/guard/sailors. No sooner had Dax had time to register this than one grabbed Dax's wrists and locked them into some shackles. He would've cried out, but some duct tape was slammed roughly onto his lips, gluing the together.

He was now shoved down the narrow corridor, and into a side room in the ship. This room was more like a warehouse, filled with about- he di a quick count- no, exactly eleven wooden crates. He tried again to cry out, but only a muffled squeak came out. A unseen hand knocked Dax into the last open one, and he landed rather ungracefully inside the box.

The side slammed shut, and Dax immediately tried breaking it back open. When he saw this was futile, he simply sighed and lent back on the side of the crate, trying to stop the tears welling in his eyes from falling.

.:Finish:.

FIRST I WAS FIRST! . AT. EVRYTHING! YEAAAAHHHH!

:DDDDD

THIS IS THE BEST DAY IN MY LIFE EVER!

(Air guitaring to don't stop me now)

*A few hours later*

And so, dear writing community of Shapeshifter, we begin a new era of our seemingly small Fanfic section. From this day forth, I hope we can reach out into more crossovers, till we become…. Awesome…er…yeah.

Anyway, infos on this story.

*Anyone fancy launching a oneshot? Of the tearful goodbyes? Heh?

I have been thinking about it for ages. But I just got a random break thorough, and wrote this all up like crazy. I'm also publicizing for a beta. Any takers? I hope there are quite a few among us who have read Maximum Ride. If not, I suggest going to the library, that is, if our oh-so-very wonderful new government haven't scrapped it.

Flock are gonna feature next time. so tune in! I'm gonna see if I can rescue my savings from my mother to get a Dictaphone. Seriously, it will change my writing life. I hate typing in silence. How do you like typing? Why not tell me in a review?

On the subject of reviews, please give a nice critique, I kinda think I overkilled on the Daxy angst… penny for your thoughts?

Also- A quick quiz! Respond through reviews!

Question one- what did I use for ' first name?

Question two- who was the first to be called out? (no scrolling!)

Final Question- what was I air guitaring to in celebration of being the first crossover author for the SS section?

Write On xxxx


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